Lullaby
by The Lady Arturia
Summary: The war is upon them, and each has their own decision to make. He wants her to live, alongside their son, but she wants to fight, alongside him, and they can't help but argue as each tries to make the other see reason. But in the end, their decisions and arguments mean nothing for they are together, in life and in death. Written for Round 3 of QLFC.


**To my dearest friend, SeeingEye, for your constant support is the magic to my muse.**

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**Lullaby**

* * *

"_Let me sing you a lullaby so that when I'm gone, you'll remember me in the words of a song."_

* * *

She groaned as shrill wails pierced the quiet night, forcing her out from the comfort of her bed. She trudged towards the crib and carefully picked up her bawling son, cradling him to her chest. She began to sway back and forth, bouncing slightly in the way her father had showed her. When he quieted, she breathed a sigh of relief. She touched her finger to his little mouth, his mouth opened instinctively, searching until his lips closed around her fingertip, sucking on it eagerly.

Smiling, she walked back to the bed and settled back against the pillows as she undid the buttons of her shirt. She cradled him to her chest and he immediately started nursing on her nipple. Sighing, she leaned back and let her eyes slip shut, exhaustion weighing down on her. When she no longer felt the tugging sensation, she cracked her eyes open and smiled, watching as her son wriggled around, gurgling quietly.

She propped him on her shoulder and gently patted his back, cringing when she heard the burp and felt the wetness on her shirt. She had come to learn, in the past few weeks, that caring for an infant was so much harder than battling Death Eaters.

He was soon asleep, and she stood carefully, walking over to the crib and gingerly laying him down. She wrapped him up so he wouldn't roll around and hurt himself, and shuffled back to the bed. Sighing deeply, she Scoured her soiled shirt and snuggled under the blankets, closing her eyes and feeling grateful that she'd be able to get a bit of sleep now that her son was well fed and satiated.

She had almost drifted into unconsciousness when the wailing started up again. Moaning into her pillow, she tried to shut it out, but when the cries only increased in volume, she rolled out of bed and lumbered over to the crib. She touched his bottom, thinking he needed to be changed, but found his nappy dry. She frowned down at her son.

When nothing she did seemed to be working, she settled back in bed and began to sing the lullaby her mother used to sing to her when she was little. That seemed to work, but as soon as she stopped, Teddy would start fussing again. She sighed.

It was going to be a long night.

-oOo-

He crashed into a pillar as the spell struck him in the chest, forcing him to his knees as he tried to catch his breath. He ducked to the side just as a streak of light shot past, shattering the pillar and showering him with rubble. Pushing himself to his feet, he barked a curse, gritting his teeth in grim satisfaction as he watched the Death Eater crumple to the ground.

Staggering back, he leaned against the destroyed column, hissing as a jolt of pain erupted in his side. He gingerly touched his latest wound, wincing as he stared at his bloody fingers. Grunting, he shuffled forwards, his vision swimming. He squinted, trying to make out the shape hurtling towards him, but he reacted a little too late.

The body crashed into him with so much force that he was thrown backwards. He groaned as he fell against the debris, the jagged ends of the rubble tearing his clothes and cutting him. He pushed the dead Auror off of him and rolled to the side as a Blasting Curse shattered the ground where he'd been lying.

Whipping his wand out from under him, he shot a hex at his opponent, lurching to the side as another curse came his way. He crashed into a broken wall and felt his rib crack from the impact. He bit into his sleeve as black clouded his vision. Forcing himself to his feet, he began to duel another masked Death Eater.

It was going to be a long night.

-oOo-

She swallowed thickly as she cradled her son, watching him wave his pudgy little arms and gurgle. Kissing his head tenderly, she placed him in his crib, a lump forming in her throat and threatening to choke her. She stroked his pink cheek with her finger and whimpered when he instantly turned towards her touch, a crooked smile on his face.

"Oh, my beautiful baby," she whispered, leaning down to sprinkle him with kisses. "My sweet, sweet boy…"

He opened his eyes, just then, and watched her, his mop of brown hair morphing into her trademark bubblegum pink. A sob escaped her lips, and she pressed her hand to her mouth, her shoulders trembling as she tried to suppress her sobs.

She reached down and picked him up again, holding him close and murmuring softly to him. A tiny palm pressed against her cheek and she looked into her son's dark, amber eyes, so much like his father's, and it was like someone had impaled her and was slowly extricating her heart from her chest. She kissed his hand, the tears falling freely down her cheeks, and she couldn't help her hair changing to a dull orange.

He blinked, and after a few moments, his own hair morphed into a bright orange, and she laughed softly.

"Just like your mummy, aren't you?" she whispered, nuzzling his nose. He cooed and she smiled, kissing him one last time before laying him down.

He stared up at her wide-eyed and she stroked his head one last time before forcing herself to walk away.

_Don't look. Don't look. Don't look._

She'd just managed to shut the door when he started crying and she crumpled to the ground, sobbing into her knees. She didn't want to leave him, but she had to. She had to go. Her husband needed her. She had to go.

She stood up and stumbled towards the door just as her mother's voice called from the living room.

It was going to be a long night.

-oOo-

He slammed his hand against the table, hard, and she flinched, her usual cotton candy coloured hair hanging in pale, limp waves.

"We are _not_ going to have this argument again, Nymphadora—"

"_Don't _call me Nymphadora!" she hissed, glaring up at him, her eyes flashing black.

"Well since _you_ don't seem to want to listen to _me,_" he replied tiredly, matching her glare with his own, "I don't see why _I _have to bother."

Her expression changed and her cheeks tinged pink. She shook her head, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "Remus," she said, her voice taking on a warning tone, "don't do this."

"I am only asking you one thing, Dora. _One _thing!"

"So you just expect me to see you off at the door with a smile on my face, like a good little wife, knowing that would be the last time I would see you?" she demanded and he sighed.

"Yes. That's exactly what I expect."

"Well," she said, her voice eerily quiet, "as you've already pointed out, I _never _listen to you, so I don't see why I've to start now."

He gritted his teeth as he watched the anger shimmer in her eyes. She wasn't going to go down without a fight, and this never-ending argument exhausted him.

"Dora, I can't lose you, please," he whispered. "Teddy can't lose you."

She inhaled sharply, the pain evident in her stormy eyes, the tips of her hair turning a rusty brown.

"Dora," he sighed and she turned away from him, but not before he saw the tears spill down her cheeks. "Dora, please," he begged, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her against him. "Please don't cry. You know I hate seeing you cry."

"Well, whose fault do you think it is?" she bit back and he sighed against her hair, swallowing thickly as he pressed his lips to her now brown locks.

"You're right. I'm sorry. We can figure this out."

When she didn't seem to relent, he turned her around and, placing his finger under her chin, forced her to look up at him. "Don't let's argue," he said softly, wincing when his voice cracked. "I don't want us to fight…"

"You mean you don't want our last conversation to be an argument," she said softly, and he shook his head.

"That's not—"

"I know."

She offered him a small smile and hugged him tight, nestling her head in the crook of his neck. He kissed her hair, which was now ash grey, and glanced out the window.

It was going to be a long night.

-oOo-

She felt the blood freeze in her veins as she watched his expression change from confusion to shock. She gulped as he stormed up to her, the look on his face a mixture of immense worry and anger.

"_What _are you doing here?" he whispered furiously, his dark eyes wide and fearful. "You shouldn't be here!"

"Remus—"

"I told you _not _to come!"

"I know, but—"

"Go back, Dora, you're not needed here," he said hurriedly, although his tone of voice was the complete opposite of his words.

"No!"

They glowered at each other for a long, tense moment before she dropped her gaze, overwhelmed by the fear in his eyes.

"I'm not leaving," she said, feeling the suspicious burn of tears in her eyes.

She was starting to think he'd just stand there, glowering at her, but he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close.

He sighed. "I'm sorry, you're right. I would've done exactly what you did, if our places were reversed."

She looked up at him and he smiled awkwardly, sending a rush of emotion through her. "I love you," she whispered and the corners of his eyes crinkled as he swallowed thickly.

"I love you too, Dora, more than anything in the world."

She opened her mouth to reply, but someone called for him, and he looked over his shoulder with a nod. "Listen, I have to go—"

"I'll come with you," she said immediately, and he tensed.

"There's no _need_, Dora, these are trained Aurors—"

"And what exactly am I?" She raised an eyebrow and he fumbled, looking lost for words.

"Dora—"

"You either take me with you, or I'll go on my own," she said, and when he looked like he would refuse, she turned and jogged away.

It was going to be a long night.

-oOo-

He laughed as she morphed her nose into a snout and snorted loudly, causing Teddy to squeal in delight. The baby boy flailed his little arms and she wriggled her fingers, snorting a tune. He laughed as Teddy babbled, jerking and writhing uncontrollably.

"OK, OK, Dora, he's had enough excitement for one night," he chuckled, pulling her back and kissing her cheek.

She morphed her nose back and grinned up at him. "Well, if I don't show him the tricks of the trade, who will?"

His heart fell at that and her eyes widened in realisation. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean—"

"No, you're right. No one else can show him things that only you, as his mother, can. And that's why—"

"Don't," she said in a warning tone, her eyes growing dark and her complexion going pale.

"Dora—"

"Don't, Remus. I don't want to have this argument right now."

"It doesn't have to be an argument—"

"Oh, yes, because you're just going to tell me to let you waltz off to war on your own while I sit here twiddling my thumbs—"

"_Looking after_ _Teddy_—"

"—and you just expect it to be a pleasant conversation?" she snapped, ignoring his interruption. He shrugged and she bristled. "Well, too bad, because I'm a trained Auror, not a housewife."

"You don't have to be one. You're amazing as you are," he murmured, more to himself, but she heard him anyway, and her eyes turned a light hazel as she smiled lopsidedly.

"You're such a twat," she said as she pressed a kiss to his lips before turning her attention back to their son.

"Yeah…" he said as he watched her lift Teddy up and nuzzle his nose.

And for once, he hoped that it would be a long night.

-oOo-

She exclaimed loudly as the curse hit her in the chest, throwing her off her feet. Her body convulsed as it hit the ground, her head falling to the side. Vision blurring, she gasped for breath, trying to hold on to her quickly waning life.

She didn't want to die. Not like this. Not at the hands of some Death Eater.

A memory of Teddy flashed before her eyes and she stilled, allowing her body to relax and stop fighting against her impending death. She closed her eyes and let her mind drift to some of her happiest memories: baking a cake for her father's birthday with her mother when she was little, the first time she successfully levitated something, the first time she flew a broom, when she was told she'd passed the Auror exam, when Teddy was born and she'd held the tiny bundle in her arms, every time Remus laughed…

Remus.

_Remus._

...

There was a flash of green light. He was falling. The last thing he saw before blackness clouded his senses was two laughing faces. One was a young witch with outrageously pink hair and the other, a boy with unbelievably turquoise hair.

_Ah, _he thought as he felt his body slowly shut down. _I hope our last conversation wasn't some stupid argument._

He smiled to himself as he pictured her sticking her tongue out at him and going, "I told you so!"

It had been a long night.

-oOo-

She hummed a tune as she sat in her rocking chair, her grandson in her lap, peacefully drinking from his bottle. She couldn't help but scoff at the irony of it all. Here she was, in front of the fire, humming a lullaby to her infant grandson, as though there wasn't a war waging outside, with her daughter and son-in-law fighting with their lives on the line.

The child spluttered and she wiped the spittle, putting away the bottle and wrapping him up in his blanket. She smiled as he caught her little finger in his tiny fist, holding on tightly.

There was a crack of Apparition outside and she was on her feet in an instant, wand in hand and ready to defend her home and grandson. The faint hope residing within her flared up as she strode to the window, her heart racing at the thought of her children coming home.

But she barely needed a reminder of why she had quelled that hope in the first place. There had been the sound of only one person Apparating, and when she saw the limping Auror, a bloody bandage around his head and a crumpled package in his outstretched hand, she felt a sense of hopelessness settle over her.

She staggered backwards, her hold on her grandson so tight that the infant began to wail. Trying to placate the child as well as her pounding heart, she stumbled to the rocking chair and sank into it. Her mind blank, she tried to breathe, but it was like someone had their hands around her throat, suffocating her, choking her. She began to rock the chair, murmuring to her grandson, but the baby continued to cry.

Unable to bear the shrill wailing of the child, she began to sing, rather loudly, the lullaby she used to sing her daughter when she was little. After a time, the child quieted, and she glanced his way, only to see clear, hazel eyes, the same colour as his mother's and grandfather's, staring back at her.

She let the tears fall as she continued to sing the lullaby, cradling her grandson against her chest, ignoring the incessant ringing of the bell and the Auror calling for her to open the door.

It was going to be a long night.

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**Word count: 2687**

**A/n: This was written for Season 3: Round 3 of the Quidditch League Fanfiction Challenge. I, as Keeper for the Falmouth Falcons, received the prompt: Write about your OTP having an argument.**

**I've been meaning to write this for a long, long time and I finally decided that I would do it now.**

**EDIT: It doesn't specify in canon [the books] who died before whom, which is why I have both their deaths in one scene. They pretty much die at (around) the same time in this story.**

**Thoughts and opinions would be very much appreciated my lovelies~**

**Lots of love~**

**Arty.**


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